Light within Dark
by Chrono Sphinx
Summary: Chapter 6 is up! Sorry I think I left you guys hanging but things pick up in the story now. This happens before Harry was born, please Read &Review!
1. Default Chapter

Light within Dark

James turned and looked down the corridor. There was no one there, but he was sure he was being followed. He shrugged and continued walking. One of the numerous doors adorning the corridor creaked open. A head peeked out and a pair of large shining glasses followed James's retreating back. James disappeared around a corner and an audible sigh was heard. The girl came out of the room and shut the door quietly. She leaned against it, relief washing over her. She was not what would be termed attractive. Her huge, round oversized glasses covered her face obscuring almost any discerning feature. Besides being overly large, her glasses were also really thick, thus distorting everything behind it. When she smiled, ugly metal braces were revealed. A plain black shawl hid her hair. She never took the shawl off so hardly anyone knew the colour of her hair.

The girl pushed herself from the door and began walking. Immediately she tripped over her long robe and fell over. She landed with a deafening crash in the silent corridor. She was terribly clumsy as well as unattractive. She picked herself up with groan and massaged her sore knee. She limped comically all the way down the corridor to the Ravenclaw dorm.

The boy looked up towards the imposing castle. McGonagall watched him carefully. He was scrawny and his hair was in a disheveled mess. Pale sallow cheeks were drawn tightly over high cheekbones. His mouth was a tightly drawn line and above, a nose was slightly hooked and the overall impression was one of a cruel hawk. His cloaked flapped around him in the slight breeze. It made him seem hungrier than ever. She didn't quite like the boy, there was something in the air around him that made him seem dark and forbidding.

She reluctantly opened her mouth and spoke, "Snape, Severus Snape is it?"

The boy turned to face her, his messy hair falling over his eyes. He pushed it aside with an impatient movement of his hand. "Yes...miss."

McGonagall suppressed a slight shiver. His tone was soft and magnetic, so it wasn't that which shook her. It was his eyes. He did not have the sort of frightening empty eyes, but neither were they warm and friendly. "His eyes are alive," McGonagall thought, and indeed they were. They seemed to change colour with every movement of the light. First aloof amber yellow, then a deep warm hazel and again an icy cloudy grey. McGonagall dropped her gaze and looked down at her file. "You're with Slytherin, the dorm is just at the end of the corridor. The password to open the door is Pureblood. You will be expected at supper later so make sure you are not late." With that she strode away without another glance at the boy.

An amused smile spread over Severus's face as he watched McGonagall leave. "Boy ... eh...." Many have made the mistake of assuming so.


	2. Chapter 2

The Ravenclaw dorm was warm and cozy. Even though she was cooking under her heavy robes and shawl, the girl made no move to take them off.  
  
"Éclair," a voice called out. "It's nearly supper time. Come on get dressed already. Let's go."  
  
Éclair turned and saw her friend Gina in the doorway. Gina was the complete opposite of Éclair. She was beautiful, tall and slim with an angel face and long brown tresses, she could have any man she wanted if she put her mind to it.  
  
"G...gina," Éclair stammered. "I have to get dressed ...oh we're going to be late!" She dashed up the stairs as quickly as her robes allowed.  
  
Gina shook her head in irritation but winced when she heard a loud thump coming from somewhere up above. She sighed, Éclair was always so clumsy. However, Éclair was the top student in Hogwarts. How she managed it was a mystery to Gina. Éclair was always so absent-minded. Though top in school, Gina understood that Éclair wasn't happy. And it was all because of James Potter. Éclair had a rather heavy crush on him and Gina had to admit that he wasn't a bad looker. He was the ideal guy: popular, smart and the adored quidditch team captain and seeker.  
  
Gina's train of thought was broken by Éclair's rowdy descent. Gina gave Éclair a critical look, "Why don't you ever take off that shawl?" she asked.  
  
"Well...we'll be late, we have to hurry,"responded Éclair as she rushed past Gina and out the door.  
  
"You always change the subject," muttered Gina as she followed behind.  
  
The hall was noisy with laughter and chatter. Everyone on the Slytherin table was whispering about the new boy who was seated at the end. Severus ignored them. He had his head propped on an open palm and was contemplating something with a slight frown on his face.  
  
Finally Lucius Malfoy got up and called across the long table, "Hey you there, what's your name?"  
  
Severus took a while to answer, "My name's Snape."  
  
Malfoy snickered, "What a stupid name!" The whole table laughed with Malfoy. Severus cocked his head to one side and studied Malfoy lazily. They were all too busy laughing to notice.  
  
Just then Dumbledore got up and spoke, "Alright all, settle down please. We have a new student to introduce to you all. Severus if you please." Severus reluctantly stood up. His hair fell over his eyes again but this time he did not bother to brush it away.  
  
"Looks like a geek!" someone shouted and the hall rang with laughter.  
  
Just then there was a loud crash. A girl from the adjacent table had tripped over her chair and she lay sprawled on the aisle. The whole hall filled with laughter yet again.  
  
"You're so stupid! Imagine falling over when you're sitting down!" jeered Malfoy cruelly. The Slytherin table laughed with him.  
  
Severus watched as a pretty girl helped her friend to her feet. Severus's eyes narrowed slightly. What drew his attention was not the pretty girl but her gawky friend. There was something about her...  
  
Just then Dumbledore stepped in. "That's enough." The hall quieted down at once. Severus watched as the pretty girl and her friend returned to their seat at the Ravenclaw table. Dumbledore continued, "Thank you Severus, you may sit now and let's not have any more distractions."  
  
Gina followed Éclair as she walked dejectedly back to the Ravenclaw dorm. Gina felt sorry for her friend. But Éclair was always embarrassing herself. They turned the corner and came face to face with Severus.  
  
Gina bristled instantly, "You're from Slytherin aren't you?"  
  
Severus ignored her and fixed his gaze on Éclair. "Who are you?" he asked at length.  
  
Gina pushed Éclair behind her. "What do you want?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
Severus smiled, it was disarmingly innocent. Gina looked at felt herself being drawn into his eyes. She felt so drowsy.  
  
"Gina, snap out of it!" Éclair shook her desperately. Gina came back to life with a gasp.  
  
"Gina, are you alright?" It was Prof. Harold, the potions master. "You were just standing there."  
  
"I'm alright. What happened?" she asked confused.  
  
Prof. Harold made a face, "I'm supposed to be asking you that."  
  
"It's fine," Éclair piped in suddenly, dragging Gina with her. "Thanks for asking Professor." They left Prof. Harold bewildered in the corridor.  
  
"Gina, what happened? You just froze suddenly while talking to that boy." Éclair shuddered.  
  
"Boy? Oh...that Slytherin. Where did he go?" Gina asked. She was still a little woozy.  
  
Éclair spluttered, trying to produce an answer. "I don't know. He was there one moment and the next he was gone. There was only Prof Harold. But...I didn't see Prof Harold walk towards us either...That boy ... he couldn't have ... a hypnotism spell?" 


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note- Thanks for the reviews everyone! I didn't expect so many in one day! orangepenguin. Sorry. Falling into a cliché. That's what my story's about btw, I haven't even seen the third potter movie. I just wrote that chapter to make Snape look cool!!!!

It's all about the detail! I read heaps of 'detailed' books so I'm influenced! Anyway, just keep reviewing!

"But if he had... but that's advance magic...he couldn't have. Could he?" For the first time Éclair couldn't find an answer to a question. She had tried hypnotism spells herself. But she was different. Dumbledore had told her so on her first night. She repressed a shudder. "Could he?" she asked herself again. Both entered their dorm in silence. Questions buzzed Éclair's mind but she too tired to contemplate them. She let her tiredness carry her off to sleep.

Back in the Slytherin dorm, Snape was trying to figure out Éclair. She was... different from the others; he could sense something about her. He had tried hypnotizing her friend... Gina or whatever her name was. He could find no answers in her. Puzzles irritated Snape. Especially when he couldn't figure them out. He would try again tomorrow. This time he would delve deeper. That night Snape dreamt of endless corridors.

Snape entered Great Hall for breakfast the next morning. He surveyed the enchanted ceiling with interest, trying to suppress a yawn. It was as if he had not slept at all. If he had, his mind was still working while he was sleeping. As he sat down to eat his porridge, the morning post flew in. Snape scanned the flock for his gray eagle owl. He had got it for his 13th birthday and it was the only thing he had really cared for.

"Hey Éclair! You just spilt your pumpkin juice over my timetable! Again!!"

"Sorry Gina..." Éclair apologized. She was staring into space.

Snape turned around. He surveyed Gina then Éclair. _Hmm... it was as if..._

"Timetables..." The pale, blonde boy was handing them out. He noted the 'P' on his robes. 'Prefect huh...' He turned his attention back to Éclair.

"Oi! You." Snape turned around and Lucius Malfoy handed his timetable to him. He took it from Malfoy's hands coldly and turned around to examine it. _Before lunch...Double Potions-Harold and Transfiguration- McGonagall. _He recalled last night's events._ Boy... eh...? _

"Oh great. We've got double potions first, Éclair. Hmm... and we're having it in the fourth Dungeon and that's the furthest from here. You'd better not be late. You know how Professor Harold objects to tardiness." Éclair merely nodded absentmindedly. She was spilling her porridge down the front of her robes unknowingly. Gina sighed. Éclair was a mystery. How was she so absent-minded and yet so smart?

_Double potions... in the furthest dungeon..._ He would make his move then and there. His mind started scheming. He could hardly wait.

Snape deliberately cleared up his potions ingredients slowly. Then as everyone was leaving, he stuffed everything in his bag. Checking that no one was watching, he cast the Imperius curse on Gina. She was conveniently sitting in front of him.

"Imperio" he muttered.

"Come on Gina. You usually have to wait for me. What's up with – ow..." Éclair had tripped over the hem "too long" robes. _"Damned pest" Snape thought._

"It's ok... you go on first. I'll catch up." Gina said. That alerted Éclair immediately. That was not like Gina. At all. She noted Snape pretending to clear up his potions ingredients behind her best friend.

"All right... see you at Charms. I'll tell Professor Flitwick." Éclair made a noisy exit. But right outside the doorway, she paused and listened.

"Tell me what you know about Éclair"

"She's my best friend"

"More."

"Why do you wanna know?" Gina was beginning to fight the Imperius curse. Éclair had to find out more. Why did Snape want to know so much about her? Her powers? But not even Éclair to Gina. It wasn't that she didn't trust Gina. It was too big a secret to tell. She heard Snape enforcing the curse.

"We've been best friends since first year. We sleep in the same dorm and have the same classes. Anything else you want to know?" Gina asked politely.

"Her family"

"Éclair's parents are dead. Éclair doesn't know much about them. She was sent to a muggle orphanage. When she got her Hogwarts letter, she came here. Ever since then, she's never gone back there. She spends her summers with me." It all lead to dead ends. And Snape was running out of patience. Éclair knew that more questioning would be pointless. She shuddered to think what Snape could do to Gina.

"How did her parents die?" Snape asked

"I don't know. It's a touchy subject for her so we avoid it." Éclair decided to step out of the darkness.

"What's taking so long Gina?" She let out a feigned gasp.

"What're you doing to her?" The curse broke and for the second time Gina came back to life with a gasp. Snape had failed again. He cast a cold, contemptuous glance Éclair's way, his eyes flashing a stormy gray. His 'master' was not going to like this.

Éclair packed Gina's potions materials with a flick of her wand. By now Snape had left and they were alone.

"Éclair what happened... that Slytherin..." Gina looked very shaken.

"Come on. We're fifteen minutes late to Charms. We're doing the Truth and Lie detection Charms today. Professor Flitwick hinted they might come up in our NEWTs."

"Stop changing the subject Éclair! I need to know... please... it was the Imperius curse ... wasn't it? My mind suddenly went blank and then I heard his voice... he was asking about me about you...but why. Why did he want to know about you?"

"I dunno, Gina." Somehow Gina knew Éclair was lying to her. Éclair didn't want keep lying to her. She had to tell Dumbledore tonight before anything else happened. But first she had to make sure that Snape was no where near Gina. Eclair spent the left of the lesson in the Ravenclaw common room trying to comfort Gina.

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	4. Chapter 4

"I'm sorry, My Lord. She caught me. I'll try again."

"Fool! She was eavesdropping on you questioning her friend!" Voldermort exclaimed angrily. His eyes, more like slits, Snape often thought, were narrowed if that was possible.

"I'm sorry, My Lord. I will be more careful in the future."

"In the near future."

"Yes, my lord." There was a definite note of boredom in Snape's voice now. Voldermort drew his wand out and pointed it right at Snape's chest. Snape merely observed Voldermort's anger rise within him. So what was he going to do now? Kill him? Snape fought to keep his smirk from appearing.

"Is there a particular reason for that, My Lord?" Snape asked silkily, knowing full well that if he were killed, there would be much to cover up for; Dumbledore would suspect something. However, that was not the only reason. He was the ideal spy... His skills in Dark Arts had impressed Voldermort but more importantly, Dumbledore did not know about his initiation of being a Death Eater. Voldermort had much to lose if he was killed.

"I had better return, My Lord. My presence will be missed." Snape's words sliced through Voldermorts thoughts cutting through the wintry silence.

Voldermort looked into Snapes stormy gray ones. That stormy gray puzzled Voldermort. In the magical world, it was uncommon for anyone to have such eyes as he had. Was he an oracle? They were very old, and very few in the magical community knew the exact story of the first Sorceress and Oracle, or of the powers they possessed. But one thing that they did know was that they were extremely powerful. Not even the Richly Talented or, better known as the Gifteds could ever attain one half of their ancient powers. Gifteds were rarely made, and Lord Voldermort had always prided himself as one. Until he learned that Dumbledore, that stupid Mudblood-Muggle loving fool was a Gifted like himself. Voldermort could not stand the stench of cesspit that Dumbledore carried. Four long years had he waited. A few more months did not really matter. He remembered the day he had made a deal with Snape. He knew that Snape had not needed him. It was he that needed Snape.

Outside, a fork of lightning flashed, illuminating Snape's sharp features from under his hood for a brief second. How symbolic, Snape thought as the rain outside grew steadily heavier, the raindrops beating against one of the many windows of the Malfoy Manor.

**_They were in the Malfoy Manor. Snape had met Voldermort out of curiosity. What did he want? How did he know of him? He did not have time to waste. But Voldermort's story had interested Snape. A Sorceress_** **_eh? Snape had never met a Sorceress before. Voldermort did not know he was an oracle. He was sure of it. Maybe it was going to be worth it after all... That night, they had made a deal, Voldermort would act as a spy for him, and as a reward, he would be let into Voldermort's inner circle of Death Eaters. The plan was put into action, and Snape entered Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as an exchange student. _**

She knew she had to go see Dumbledore that night. Éclair walked briskly to the Great Hall, bumping into someone.

"Hey! Watch- oh it's you Éclair."

"Hmm..."

"Where were you in Charms?"

"Did Flitwick give any homework?"

"Yea. Loads. Five whole parchments on Truth and Lie Detection and their relation. To be handed in a week from today."

"Hmm... thanks Lily."

"Hey, listen. I'm doing my essay tonight. You and Gina can come along."

"Great. Come to my study. It's opposite the Dilys portrait on the second floor. Just knock ok? See you at seven?"

"Hm.... Thanks Lily." Lily smiled in response.

Éclair met Gina in the Entrance Hall and had dinner (lamb chops, stew and mashed potatoes!), where Éclair told Gina of their plan tonight.

"Hey Lily. Thanks for doing this."

"Oh. It's no problem. And umm... James Potter and ..."

"It's ok. The more the merrier right?" Good. She was sure Snape had no idea where they were. And James and Sirius were pretty good at dueling. Lily was sure and quick at charms. Éclair was pretty confident that Snape would be no match for all 4 of them, excluding Peter. Unless he was an oracle.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Éclair asked tentatively. She looked around only to find Dumbledore's office empty.

"Hello Fawkes."

Fawkes was Dumbledore's pet phoenix. Éclair stroked his fiery plumage and looked around. Nothing much had changed since she was first in here. She watched Dumbledore's mysterious ornaments and whizzing around her. She wondered where Professor Dumbledore had gone. She hoped he would not be gone for long.

"Ah... Éclair." Éclair turned around startled. Dumbledore had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "To what do I owe to a meeting with a sorceress?" Éclair smiled at the aged headmaster. But he was more than that. He was a friend, a mentor to Éclair ever since she was told. To her, Dumbledore was a surrogate father.

"Professor..." she sat in the comfortable chintz Dumbledore had conjured and her story started pouring out; how she suspected Snape was an oracle. The hypnotism spell, the scene in the dungeon. Everything. Dumbledore asked little questions of Éclair's story.

"It's just ... I don't know how but I just know... I think he suspects me as one too," she concluded. Éclair pulled her shawl tighter around her. There was a slight pause before Dumbledore finally spoke.

"Éclair. Do you still remember the time when I told you of your lineage?"

"Yes, sir."

"Sorceress and oracles are rarely born. Few rare wizards are given those powers. Not even I, as powerful as some claim me to be can stop sorceresses or oracles. You are an exceptionally powerful one. You possess rare gifts that if not nurtured are wasted."

"I understand, Sir. But then ...if Snape isn't an oracle what is he ?" It was a bold question. But he was clearly not getting the point. She was worried about Gina, ever since the scene in the dungeon.

"I'm afraid I cannot tell you if he is one, Éclair. I do believe however, that he is acting under someone else." _Voldermort, Éclair thought instantly._

"Who? Why? To find out if I'm a sorceress?"

"Those are my suspicions, yes." Dumbledore looked at Éclair over the top of his half moon glasses and continued, "Éclair, I understand that you're worried about your best friend. Meanwhile, just make sure ..." Éclair understood perfectly. She respected his reasons, whatever they were. She left Dumbledore's office and returned to Lily's head girl room.

"Hey Éclair. Are you all right? You were gone quite a while."

"I'm fine. Thanks, Gina." She bent down to complete her essay while Lily was laughing animatedly at James' jokes. Somehow Gina wasn't satisfied with her answer.

"You can tell me you know. No one goes to the toilets for twenty minutes."

"Hmm..."

"Why won't you tell me anything Éclair?" Éclair looked up from her essay into Gina's face. Tears were welling up in Gina's eyes and Éclair felt a guilty pang. Maybe it would be safer if she and Gina weren't friends. Maybe then Snape would stop questioning Gina. But she couldn't be sure. She had to come up with a good excuse for Gina and fast.

"Oh... I ran into Peeves halfway back. He was wrecking chaos on the 3rd floor and obviously the new caretaker, Filch doesn't seem to like Peeves. I took the long way ... Sorry for worrying you Gina..."

"I don't trust him much." James cut in. "Something about him..."

"Shady fellow." Sirius immediately added to James' comment.

"Slimy Slytherins" that was from Peter.

_Slytherin... they had to be talking about Snape. At that moment a frown creased Éclair's brow. What did he really want? The more Éclair thought about it the more certain she was the he was an oracle. Why had Dumbledore taken it so lightly? Hadn't her opinions always mattered to Dumbledore?_

Gina studied her best friend. Recently, since that Sytherin had shown up and cast his first hypnotism spell everything had started going downhill. She checked her timetable. First Friday Potions (SLY) – L. Harold. Gina gripped her timetable until her knuckles turned white.

"Gina, are you all right? You just suddenly tensed up..." Éclair touched her arm softly. Startled, Gina knocked over the ink bottle, and the crumpled timetable fell from the tight clutch.

"Oh no! My essay!"

Éclair immediately fixed it with a casual wave from her wand.

"Thanks, Éclair... I'm fine. Really." Gina was suddenly aware that everyone in the room was watching her. Had it shown that much? "I'm kinda tired Éclair. I'll finish my essay tomorrow or something."

"Yea. Ok. I'll come with you. It's getting kinda late anyway. Goodnight guys," Éclair yawned. She and Gina packed their Charms notes away and headed up to their dorm, wand in her pocket ready for a sign of anything suspicious.


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey all thanks for reviews., I wrote this chapter on impulse :P so don't expect too much._

_All characters belong to J.K Rowling except for Éclair and Gina._

Double potions... again... How boring. Snape stared into his bubbling black cauldron. Across the room, Gina eyed him malevolently. Sensing something Snape looked up right at her. He gave her a slight ambiguous smile, and she growled angrily.

"Ahem..." Professor Harold coughed. "Please pay attention." He looked pointedly at Snape.

Snape laughed apologetically. A cute little school boy... Gina clenched her fists. That irritating two-faced ...

"Gina?" Éclair interrupted her fuming.

"Eh, Éclair, sorry just daydreaming," she answered distracted.

Éclair gave her a strange look and muttered, "You look angry than anything else."

Professor Harold coughed again seeking the attention of his pupils. "Everybody get into groups of three and try the _Illumina _potion on page seventy-four of you text books."

Everyone scuffled into their groups and the class was instantly divided into two – Slytherins and Ravenclaws. The only exception was Snape. He got up to join Gina and Éclair.

"What do you want?" Gina spat.

Snape scratched his head innocently and smiled, "Truce?"

Éclair gave him a cold look, "Go away."

"What have I done?" he asked again.

"You, don't try to play innocent," Gina hissed.

Snape closed his eyes for a moment then opened them. They were mocking Gina amused. Grey and blue swirled in them...dangerous eyes.

"Such an attitude...heh...anyone could mistake you for liking me Gina," his voice was soft, so soft even Éclair couldn't hear.

"Damn...you!" Gina swore through her teeth.

Snape ignored her and turned his eyes on Éclair, "But I'm more interested in you Éclair." His voice gentle, cajoling almost but not quite, it held a sharp edge which cut like ice.

There was a resounding crack as Éclair slapped Snape across the face. Everyone turned to stare as Éclair stood trembling with rage. Gina regarded her friend with surprise. Éclair's usually meek countenance was flushed with blood and rage. She turned on her heel and stalked out of the room.

"Everyone calm down please," Professor Harold asserted testily, a bit shaken by the unexpected scene.

Snape ignored him and walked out after Éclair. Gina stood rooted for a moment before rushing after them. Professor Harold sighed exasperated. Kids... The whole class suddenly broke out into noisy chatter and Professor Harold sighed again.

Éclair leaned against the door of the cubicle with her face over her hands. The toilets was the only place Snape couldn't get to her. The sudden knocking on the door made her jump. Her heart started thumping with fear. She didn't hear anyone come in. It couldn't be... him?

"Éclair...?" It was Gina.

Éclair relaxed and opened the door. "Hey, Gina," she answered weakly.

"What's going on?" Gina asked concern written over her face.

Éclair frowned. Something bothered her. Gina.

Éclair snapped her fingers. Gina gave a gasp and pitched forward. Éclair caught her just before she hit the floor.

"Oh, you're pretty good," said the quiet voice.

Éclair looked slowly up. Snape stood leaning against a sink. Apparently the sanctity of the female restroom didn't bother him.

Éclair muttered something under her breath and Gina slowly faded from the room. Snape

straightened quickly, alert. Teleportation. She was good indeed. He felt the blood tingling in his veins.

Éclair in turn stood and faced him. She reached back and threw off her shawl. A mass of platinum blue hair tumbled over her shoulders. It seemed to shine slightly, a halo of an avenging angel, Snape couldn't help thinking to himself. He shook his head slightly. What the hell was he thinking at a time like this? So she was indeed a sorceress as he had thought.

Eclair raised her hand and took of her glasses. She folded them deliberately and put it into the pocket of her robe. Snape felt a slight uneasiness but he could also feel excitement mounting in him. A sorceress, one from that long lost powerful race.

Éclair's head snapped up and her flaming green eyes bored straight into Snape's grey ones. Snape was stunned for a moment. Éclair's eyes blazed with fury and power, a testament to her lineage.

Snape shifted slightly, this uneasiness he was feeling...fear? Impossible...Anticipation that must be it. Or was it awe? But there was also excitement and adrenaline. This would be a splendid battle. Battle? Snape was shocked into alarm. A battle here, in Hogwarts right under Dumbledore's nose? He must have been going out of his mind to provoke something so risky.

"It's too late now to back out of this, Oracle," Éclair's voice was treacherous. "You will pay for playing with my friend."

She raised her hand and instinctively Snape did the same. For the first time Snape realized the full extent of his situation. She was really angry. She might kill him in a sudden burst of rage. But he was a skilled magic user himself. He could still retreat; and he doubted Éclair had the experience of a real fight unlike himself. However he didn't want too, this was too interesting. Besides...he admitted with a bit of a rueful smirk, Éclair was just intensely beautiful when she was angry.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6! (Finally! And I don't mind saying so myself) Sorry it took so long. I've been neglecting... obviously**. : P** But it's the holidays!

Disclaimer : Chrono Sphinx does not own Harry Potter, only Gina and Éclair. So don't sue!

"So...Sorceress... what would you like to do?" They've been standing for 5 minutes, wands out pointing at each other's chest. Snape hated these tense moments.

"What the hell am I doing?," Éclair thought to herself. The toilets were definitely not the best place to pick a duel in.

"You first, Oracle," she challenged

Snape smirked. Cocky... Snape liked that, but she didn't know how skillful he was... Normally he would enjoy this duel, but not under the current circumstances. What was he thinking? Picking a fight with a Sorceress right under Dumbledore's nose?

"I dare you Sorceress," Snape sneered at Éclair.

A single blue lighting erupted from Éclair's wand tip. _No incantation, eh?_

"Don't underestimate me, Oracle." A slow and dangerous smile curved his mouth. He had to admit, Éclair was very attractive when she was angry...and dangerous too. With his storm-gray eyes, he surveyed Éclair again standing in front of him, wand pointed straight at him, her eyes blazing and having abandoned her shawl, blue tresses tumbled over her shoulders windswept and messy. Right now, he decided, she looked like a fatal goddess. Another blast of gold lightning blasted from the tip of Éclair's wand, and he had only dodged Éclair's 3rd spell in time. However, Éclair's spell hit the sink and decreased it to a pile of rumbles. Ruthless..._ my turn, he thought_

"Sepelio statim!"

"Protego!" Éclair's shield charm emerged only in time. The Blasting Charm Snape had shattered Éclair's shield charm and reflected off. The impact sent Éclair crashing into a toilet cubicle and the reflected Blasting Charm sent a cloud of debris into the air. Using the advantage, spell after spell fired from the tip of Éclair's wand. The impact, though missing him narrowly unbalanced him making him crashing into the pile of rumbles around him. Snape's eyes flashed a stormy gray as he got to his feet. His skin tingled as little pulses of adrenaline roared past his ears.

"So, Sorceresses really are ruthless," he chuckled, dodging a red flash of lightning.

"And Oracles really are imperceptive," He noted how Éclair's eyes shone

They stood there once more, surveying each other like animals of the wild, prowling and waiting for the right moment to close in for the final kill.

A soft crunch distracted their attentiveness for a moment. Both heads snapped to the direction, and out of the corner of Éclair's eyes, she saw a Rune Slab form beneath Snape's feet. "I look forward to continuing this battle, Sorceress. Foris Abeam" With that, he dissipated into nothing. A warp spell. She cursed mentally.

"Éclair, are you all right?" The silhouette from behind the pile of rumbles was Dumbledore.

"I'm fine, Professor." She bent down and shook her shawl free of the debris she had caused. Coughing, she put her glasses back on and repaired the damage of the duel with a flick of her wand.

"Éclair, impressive as that may be, I still need an explanation." Dumbledore said.

"Why don't you question Snape too?"

"No doubt, Éclair, that you are angry at Severus for... all this." Dumbledore mildly gestured, "However, I cannot excuse you for dueling with another student whatever causes they might be. I shall expect you in my office today, after dinner." Éclair nodded curtly.

"Since it's almost dinner time, I see no point in returning to Potions."

"What's up, Éclair?" Gina questioned her friend.

"Nothing much, Gina." Éclair replied distractedly. It was clear that Gina had no recollection whatever , and it was also clear that she was still fuming about the unfinished battle.

"You seem distracted today." Gina replied back.

"Hey. Doesn't she always?" Snape murmured quietly as he walked past the Ravenclaw table. The tips of his lips curved into a mocking smile.

"I don't like him." Gina commented at his retreating back. A very distracted "hmm..." was all she got from Éclair.

From the next table, Eclair heard James Potter also commenting about Snape to his fellow Marauders (Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew). She sighed softly.

"What is it Éclair?" Gina asked her friend.

"Huh?" This time, Éclair was really puzzled.

"You sighed." Gina answered, this time impatiently.

"Oh...umm... I did?" Éclair responded a little flustered a light shade of crimson creeping upon her cheeks.

"Éclair... are you blushing?" The result was a deeper shade of crimson. "What is it?" Gina feigned a huge surprised sigh, "Is it... a boy?"

"No. It's nothing." Éclair retorted rather curtly and stood up noisily. "I'm not hungry." She noted that neither Snape nor Dumbledore appeared to dinner that evening. "Come on! You have to tell me! I'm letting you get away with this?! Come on! At least tell me where you're going." Gina called over the retreating back of her best friend but to no avail. Éclair merely turned around and smiled secretively at Gina and raised her hands up, shrugging.

A/N: Now working on Chapter 7 though I have no idea what to write. Please R&R! Thanks.


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